September 2, 2025 • 24 mins
Mike Yam and Eric Edholm preview the 2025-26 season with their first NFL Power Rankings. Do the Eagles or a different team deserve the #1 slot to start the season? Are the Packers a top-5 team after the Micah Parsons trade? Is Eric optimistic or pessimistic about the Steelers after they added Aaron Rodgers?
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
NFL Power Rankings is a production of the NFL in
partnership with iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
It is a brand new season, Week number one, it's
NFL Power Ranking. I's like, am Eric at home with you. Eric,
I'm walking into the studio. I heard a rumor, Please
tell me if this is true or not, that you
had no summer vacation. You spent the entire time obsessing
over this set of rankings.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Well yeah, early on I was ranking like breakfast cereals
and my kids Pokemon cards and stuff, and I got
so bored with it I had to dive into football,
and it's been a grind. I'm glad we got to
this point on SCATHE and we're ready to go. Man.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Look, I'm so excited to be with you this entire season.
I had a blast with you last season. There was
a lot of debate. I don't know how much debate
we will have in this episode, but we should reveal
some of your top teams and get to it. And
not a surprise here, I'm in the Philadelphia Eagles sitting
in that top spot. We got the Baltimore Ravens, who
we'll talk about, the Bills right behind them at three.
Kansas City. Here we go where she writes that six
(01:00):
games suspension maybe plays a factor in that fourth ranking.
Detroit missing all all of their coordinators, both on the
offensive defensive side, were both head coaches, so they are
in that fifth spot. A little bit of news this
offseason around the Green Bay Packers, who sits six? We
have the Tampa Bay Buccaneers seven, and the Washington Commanders
at number eight. All Right, super Bowl let down? Coming
(01:22):
off of winning the title last year? How does Philadelphia
make sure and ensure they're back in the biggest game
of the year.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Yeah, I mean, I don't just default put the Super
Bowl winner in this spot. I think they're there for
a good reason. This roster is in terrific shape thanks
to Howie Roseman and the scouting staff. They're well coached.
I mean Nick Sirianni had to go through it a
little bit before it got to the mountaintop, but by
the end of last year they were clearly the best
team in football. Can they carry that over? Though? I
think that is a fair question, especially when you consider Look,
(01:51):
they're arguably worse on the offensive line, they lose Becton,
arguably worse on the defensive line. Williams and Josh Sweat
and maybe in the secondary too. So it's possible that
they are not quite as full of roster as what
they had at the end of last year. So still
some potential cracks that other teams could exploit.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Still very talented and wouldn't be a surprise to anyone
if they were playing in the Super Bowl this upcoming season.
And yet I look at some of the other premier
teams in the NFL. In fact, some of the teams
that I just name check that you have towards the
top of this rankings, the Baltimore Ravens sitting at number two. Eric,
they were a team that I got to see in
training camp. I don't legitimately think they have a weakness
(02:30):
on this roster. In my mind, they might be the
best team in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
You know, they're right there. You know you could make it,
certainly a strong case, even with last year's playoff disappointment
the loss of the Bills, that they are pound for
pound as good as the Eagles or any other team
in the NFL. It starts with Lamar Jackson, but obviously
John Harbaugh has been there a long time. His record
is terrific, He's had way more winning seasons than losing ones,
and you know, the combination of Derrick Henry maybe some
(02:55):
better receivers as well, they continue to kind of fortify
that offensive line, and by the end of last year,
I thought that defense had really kind of gotten through
some of its issues. So look, you know they used
now September and October to prepare themselves for the long haul.
So I don't think we should panic if they lose
Week one to the Bills or have some early losses
to it to contenders. They'll be there in January, and
(03:17):
I suspect they're going to be a very, very tough
out no matter how long they go.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
You concerned it all about Derek Henry and just the
amount of tread on those tires.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
I mean, we're talking about a guy who's turning thirty
two in January. You know, running backs these days don't
typically last as long as that. I mean coming off
a season counting playoffs where he had almost four hundred touches.
So you know, they kept four backs and in years
past we've seen them keep three. But there's a reason
why they have Keaton Mitchell and Justice Hill and rasheen
A Lei who had a great preseason two was a
(03:46):
draft pick of THEIRS a couple of years ago. So
you know they have ways where you can kind of
save Derek for those key drives, fourth quarter situations like
that red zone, and still use those other four or
other three guys you have on the roster.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
You know, by the end of the season, Malchi Stark's
a kid that they drafted Eric I. I have a
feeling we're going to be talking about him on this
show as the season unfolds. My god, he looked terrific
on the football field, at least of that practice that
I was able to go and watch. At number three
of the Bills. We had a conversation a year ago
at this time concerned about some of the weapons around
Josh Allen he became league MVP. Is that at all
(04:22):
a concern this season?
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Yeah, I mean, I think it's the same questions we
had last year, right defense and weapons. And if you
assume that Khalil Shakir getting missed a lot of the
preseason in training camp, but if he could take a
step forward, that's huge. James Cook is a weapon in
the passing game as well as the run game. I
was out there at the Bills joint practice with the
Chicago Bears, and I thought Keon Coleman looked tremendous. He
(04:45):
had a really big day that year, and all the
rookie year disappointments, you know, and ups and downs that
he went through. I wouldn't be shocked if there's a
sophomore breakout there. Josh Palmer's there, Dalton Pincaid still has
a chance to prove himself. So they're pretty diverse. They
may not have that one true go to guy. Maybe
it's shakier, maybe it maybe they spread the ball round,
(05:06):
but you know, if he can win MVP with arguably
a lesser group last year, I think they're They're in
okay shape in the big picture.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
You know, take holistically between the second team and the
third team Ravens and Bills. Do you look at both
of these squads and say, hey, it feels like Super
Bowl or bust. It is so hard to consistently have
a good roster year in and you're out in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Yeah. I mean, on the one hand, you say to yourself, look,
Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are in the primes of
their career. Let's not panic here. But there always is
that sense when you're ending up in the top five
of every preseason you know, a rankings, power rankings, and
you're constantly making these runs in the playoffs, but coming
up just short, as those two teams have recently, you're
(05:45):
gonna be mentioned as a super Bowl or bust kind
of team. And I think that's the attitude in the
locker room. But only one of these teams potentially can
win it, and the next year we're gonna be talking
about both of them as contenders again, I suspect. So, yes,
there is that internal pressure. There's certainly external pressure, but
I don't think you can say the windows are closed
for either one of these teams. It's just another year
(06:07):
in that that that that picture where they can win
a wing or they could be disappointed.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Yeah, I'm sure you're watching hard knocks like I am
and the Bills. Just one comment that you got on
this defense and obviously some losses in terms of personnel
from from last year's team, still feel like the unit
collectively is still pretty good.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
I do too. You know, turnovers, they've got to create
more sacks, big plays, things like that. Worried about cornerback though,
I mean I look at Tredavias White return. You know,
he and Christian Benver are supposed to be the starters
right now with with Maxwell Harrison out, but both guys
have missed the good amount of practice. So you're going
into a pretty big game in week one. I know
everything I just said about the Ravens there, but still,
(06:45):
you know, those are the games that end up being
crucial tie breakers when it comes down to playoff times.
So I know, you know it's in high Mark Stadium,
final year there, They're gonna send it off with a bang,
or so they hope. And if that defense isn't healthy enough,
you know they're missing some d lineman two with suspensions
and whatnot. You know that that first game could be
a real chore.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
You know, I I know, I joked at the start
of the show that Eric was working on his rankings
the entire summer. There is some truth to that. But
I got to imagine when you have a mega deal,
there's a team that possibly moved up just a little
bit just because of that Michael Parsons deal. Time for
Power Moves. It is presented by Energizer. Where'd you have
Green Bay before the Micah trade? Because right now you
(07:26):
have them six.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
I think I had them eighth, and I wanted to
keep the Bucks seven. I know that's higher than some
people have them, but I kind of believe in the
Bucks this year. But I felt like that move kind
of put him over the top. Had I been a
power ranker back in twenty eighteen, I probably would have
done a similar thing with the Chicago Bears. But this
Packers team. I remember going on radio in Wisconsin this summer.
They asked me about the roster and they said, what
(07:48):
do you think? And I said, well, it's pretty good.
I mean there's really no major questions, kind of like
what you're saying with the Ravens. But the difference is
the Ravens have superstar players. I don't know that you
could have said that about the Packers prior to this trade.
But Micah Parsons is a singular defender, and boy, if
you want just a teaser, I think of what could
be on the table this season assuming his back is okay.
(08:11):
Go look at Jeff Hafley, their defensive coordinator, what he
did with Chase Young. Remember how excited we got about
Chase Young as a college player in twenty nineteen, standing
up as a middle linebacker, edge rusher, kicking inside as
an interior rusher. You're going to see all kinds of
creative stuff from Halflee when it comes to Parsons, But
he's getting epidurals for week one. That back may not
(08:32):
hold up. That may be another factor to the trade
that some people didn't kind of consider at the time
that Dallas made it.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
You know, last offseason, Jordan Love gets a huge deal,
two hundred million dollar contract, gets banged up early, but
you saw this progression, You saw him play better as
the season went on. I hate to ask if there's
like more pressure. I don't even want to frame it
that way. Every single starter in the NFL feels that.
But knowing that there's a leap defender, at least singular
with with Michael Parsons on this roster, that conversation is shifted.
(08:59):
I almost feel like there's probably more attention on Jordan
Love having to ball out and maybe even thrust himself
into that MVP conversation.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Oh, no doubt about it. Look, I mean, he's already
been paid, right. It's the same situation that Trevor Lawrence
finds himself in in Jacksonville. Obviously, with less pressure because
they're not quite a super Bowl contender yet, but a
quarterback who's been paid, but there's still lingering doubts about them,
right Kyler Murray in Arizona. Stuff like that where you
say they could be great, but we don't know that yet.
And when you add a superstar to the other side
(09:27):
of the ball, that defense could elevate itself in one way,
that may reduce some pressure on Love. Right, they may
have more defensive scores, more turnovers, more possessions for the offense.
But on the other side, you know, you know now
that you are in that Super Bowl inner circle if
you will, you have that superstar and you have a
pretty great roster even with a loaded NFC North. I
think you have to consider the Packers among that top
(09:50):
cadre of top contenders.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Eric. I read your article once again. It's on NFL
dot com where you give analysis on all thirty two
teams in order of this rankings, and I can't help
but think when I shift our attention to the Washington
Commanders at number eight RLS in what you said about
the Houston Texans from a couple of seasons ago, it
went from Darlings a team that become almost a sleeper
to make a significant run to now just being a
(10:14):
really good team in the AFC. A lot of that
has to do with c J Stroud. I'd say the
same exact case could be made for Jaden Daniels. How
does he avoid And I don't want to say a
sophomore slump because that's not what CJ went through. Sure,
I think that's probably overstating it. Clearly it wasn't as
good as is his rookie campaign. But what is it
about what you see from Jayden Daniels that how you
(10:35):
thinking like, hey, this team legitimately can stay towards the
top of the NFC.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
Yeah, I did drop them this week, and preemptively, I
guess you'd say, or whatever, And some people may take
that as a sign that I'm suddenly down on the Commanders.
Not the case, right, I want you guys over by
by ranking you hot. They're the Commanders higher than any
other person did I think last year preseason, so I
felt like I got a little credit from Commanders fans.
I hope I don't lose it now, but I just
(10:59):
think it's going to be a tougher climb. Everybody knows
their contenders right. Progress for quarterbacks is not Linn. We've
seen quarterbacks like Stroud, very talented players in year two
face some obstacles that they weren't seeing in year one.
All of a sudden, now you have way more tape
to evaluate and a whole summer to do it. While
while I was doing power rankings, the coaches were breaking
down jayde danniel State, finding ways to slow him down.
(11:22):
Arguably they might be better offensively. I just don't know
if they're going to take that big step defensively that
everybody is kind of hoping and wishing they can. We'll
see maybe I'm wrong. If they are, I'll reflect it
in the rankings, no doubt about it. But you know,
I think it's going to be a tougher division. I
think the Giants are going to be a tough route.
We'll see about Dallas, but certainly Philly as well. So,
(11:42):
you know, just getting to thirteen and four in a
couple of playoff wins is an amazing achievement. Can they
do it two years in a row? Hard to do
in this league.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Well, they open up against the g Men, and we'll
talk about the Giants a little bit later in the show.
Can't you make the case at least I would between
Deebo and Tunsel this roster, And I know it's just
two guys, but I feel like the roster is actually
better this year than it was last season.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
It might be right, Josh Connery. They're raving about the
rookie tackle a Jacory Krossky Merritt right, he emerged and
allowed them to trade Brian Robinson, who wasn't deemed a
perfect fit. So when they're making those kinds of moves,
I think it's a reflection that there were some voids
last year that they were able to kind of mask
and cover up. This year, they're able to fill them
with some better talents and make these aggressive trades. They
(12:26):
wouldn't have done that if they didn't think they had
a shot at the Super Bowl. So, you know, I
trust Adam Peterson's evaluation Dan Quinn the coaching job he
did last year. If those two guys are as on
point this year as they were last year, they should
be right in the thick of things.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Glad you named checked to Corey and Krosky Merritt. I
actually was fortunate enough to be able to call the
East West Shrine Bowl he played in that game hard,
it was around him for a couple of days or so.
Not hugely surprised that they feel confident in his abilities
in that backfield. We're just scratching the surface here, Eric,
we're going through your rest of your rankings nine through sixteen.
I still can't believe, based off of doing the show
(13:00):
with you last season, we haven't mentioned his name. Aaron
Rodgerson always got a new team. Where does he sit
with his Steelers squad? That's covered up next here on
Power Rankings presented by Energizer. Back here on Power Rankings,
(13:20):
Mike Haman Eric at home with you. As you look
at Eric's teams nine through sixteen. The Denver Broncos checking
in at number nine, potential will be the best defense
in the league this year. At ten, it's the Cincinnati Bengals,
who will discuss in a moment. Eleven the LA Rams.
The health of Matthew Stafford is going to be something
we don't stop talking about this season. At twelve, it's
the Vikings with the new quarterback and JJ McCartney. At thirteen,
(13:42):
it's the Texans fourteen, the Chargers, the Niners at fifteen
and the Pittsburgh Steelers with Aaron Rodgers sitting at number sixteen.
But let's circle in on Cincinnati Joe Burrows team. We
saw this late season push for him. The guy should
have been well, I guess he was technically in that
MVP conversation, But when you have a record, you're on
the outside looking into the postseason. Hard to win that award.
(14:02):
Plus the way that Josh and Lamar played, that was
going to be an uphill battle. But give me your
take on why you have Cincinnati this high, because I
feel like, based off what we saw last season.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
This is bold. Well, you make a great point in
that you know Trey Hendrickson played a full season, Joe
Burrow had virtually a career year, was incredible by any
other standards, and they were a nine to eight football team.
They had so many issues defensively, penalties, lack of discipline.
Kind of got back in the race nominally at one point,
but never were able to sustain it and stop people
(14:33):
on the other side of the ball. But I think
getting Hendrickson signed at least for this year, you know,
like it's a one year deal, they're probably going to
part ways next season. But if you view this through
the lens Of. They kept their big three on offense
and Hendrickson. Maybe new defensive coordinator Al Golden can find
some solutions on that side of the ball. You know,
look at at what happened with the Chargers last year,
(14:53):
pretty low ranked defense. In twenty twenty three, Jim Harbaugh
new staff comes in, they clean things up. They're ranked
in the top five in several categories. I'm not saying
they're going to make that big a jump, but I
do think there's a chance they get better on that
side of the ball. Yeah, the division is tough, and
maybe even tougher than last year, but I still think
that that prolific offense is going to give a lot
of people trouble on some point.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Last two seasons one in three to start the year.
I feel like this staff has recognized that we saw
Joe Burrow, we saw Jamar Chase early in the preseason
get some runs, so I feel like that's something we
hadn't seen in previous years. Joe obviously has had some
health issues, which was a part of that, but the
fact that he was playing early in the preseason to
me says no, no, no, not a slow start this
upcoming season. Time for future champions. It's presented by Fan
(15:38):
Duel and the NFC West. There's a fan duel things.
In terms of who is the favorite is San Francisco
forty nine ers according to them, followed by the Rams,
the Cardinals, and then Seattle plus five point fifty there,
So the Niners are the favorite. God, Eric, I can
story this for it. Just be healthy. They're the walking
wounded out there a year ago. Is it as simple
(15:58):
as they stay healthy? This division's theirs.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
I think you have to preface it by saying, look,
pound for pound, and this may not be as strong
a roster top to bottom as it was a year ago,
at least heading into the season. Right, all those injuries
certainly decimated their chances of climbing back in the race.
You know they won that game in Week ten last year.
I thought, Okay, here they come, and then everything just
fell apart. So your point hold's true. Right, if they
avoid injuries, they should be in great shape. The schedule
(16:23):
is very favorable. They still have Brock Purty, Kyle Shanahan
and a host of weapons. But I do worry about
that receiver room. You saw Deebo Samuel there a second ago.
He's gone, Juwan Jennings. Is he committed to the team?
Is he involved? Is he going to be a big
player this year? Perhaps we'll see, you know, George Kittle
will be a standby, and they're hoping that Ricky Piersoll
(16:44):
is going to be that big thread on the outside
as well. But I think they'll eventually find a lot
of solutions, especially going up against the schedule that reanks
is frankly one of the easiest in the NFL this season,
even if there are no true easy games in this league.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Yeah, for what it's worth. And I know Arizona wasn't
in this group because we went teams from nine through sixteen,
so they'll be in the next group. For what it's worth.
I read your once get on NFL dot com. You're
higher on Arizona than most, aren't. I think you could
store Seattle being right in the thick of things as well.
The Steelers at number sixteen. All right, Aaron Rodgers, Man,
I feel like we talked about this dude all the
time last year with the Jets, last couple of seasons.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
With the Jets.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Is this experiment going to be successful this year?
Speaker 3 (17:23):
I don't know, you could tell. I'm hedging here, right,
I'm putting smack dab in the middle of the rankings there.
And obviously you look at Mike Tomlins, you know, a
sterling record of consistency. I know, obviously playoff results have
not been what you'd expect recently in the last you know,
really seven eight years. But they're a good football team.
They have what could be an excellent defense. There are
some very encouraging parts there on offense. But in order
(17:46):
to get this offense where it needs to be, I
think Aaron has to give a little bit, right. I
think he has to understand that that run game with
Warren and Johnson is still going to be a big
part of what they do. Aaron's results the first certainly
in the first half of last year, but even in
parts of the second half of the season, you know,
lacking a lot of ways. He is not the quarterback
he was four years ago, five years ago when he
(18:08):
was an MVP candidate. So there's got to be an
understanding I think of what his limitations are, what the
strengths of the Steelers are, and find that perfect marriage
to put it together offensively. So you talked about slow
starts with the Bengals, I almost wonder if that's not
an issue for the Steelers too, where they're still maybe
sorting their offensive identity out as we come to the
beginning of October. Who knows. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe he
(18:30):
finds his footing right away, But I still think with Aaron,
he wants things his way and other people may see
it differently.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Well, I think most teams will want to avoid to
slow start a little extra motivation for Aaron Rodgers the
fact that they get the Jets in week number one.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Oh yeah, right, we're at.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
The midway point here. First sixteen teams. We've told you
where they sit. The rest of the sixteen two squads
in my mind, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, no more, Michael,
where do they sit? The answer to that, Oh, by
the way, who's in that last spot, the not so
coveted last position on Eric's rankings. The answers coming up
next on Power Rings along with Eric at home, Mike
(19:14):
Iam with you. Welcome back to Power Rankings. It's team
seventeen through twenty four. For what it's worth, Eric is high.
He's bullish on the Arizona Cardiners, who check in at seventeen,
the Bears, who will talk about in a moment at eighteen, Seattle,
Eric's looking for a team identity. They check in at nineteen.
I think there's some upside around the Atlanta Falcons at twenty,
the Dallas Cowboys sitting at twenty one. I think the
(19:36):
arrow's pointing up for the Patriots at twenty two. How
about that combination Brian Thomas Junior not to mention Travis
Hunter for the Jags at twenty three and can do
a stay upright for the Fins at twenty four. All right,
let's check in on eighteen the Chicago Bears. Ben Johnson
takes over. We saw what he was able to do
with the Lions and more specifically Jared Goff. Is he
the quarterback whisperer for a former number one overall pick
(19:59):
in Caleb Williams.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
Yeah. I mean three years ago, not many people knew
who Ben Johnson was. Now he comes in as the savior.
I mean, obviously we put a lot of pressure on
him based on what he's done the last two and
a half years with a brilliant offense that he and
Dan Campbell really put together in their own like, in
their own image and their own belief system and translating
that and bringing it over to a quarterback like Caleb
(20:21):
Williams who's played in a structure that he's sort of
familiar with. It's gonna cause some lumps. I think they're
gonna be some tough times. Look, they play a brutal schedule,
but I think already you can see the fountain of
creativity that comes out of this team. With different playmakers,
different formations, different concepts. It's gonna be way more advanced
(20:42):
and I think way more productive than last year. But again,
I still see some chances there for the head coach
and the quarterback to be at odds. I think they're
going to have to grow together on this thing. First
year head coach, second year starting quarterback. It's not going
to be an easy ride. But I think eventually they'll
They'll find Peydrt and I think they'll be a very
successful duo. But this season, with these teams in this
(21:04):
nfcorth Boy, I don't know, it's asking a lot.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
Some growing pains. Run the Dallas Cowboys without Micah because
now they move on a double dip on this squad.
What is life without Parsons going to look?
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Like?
Speaker 3 (21:16):
Yeah, it's it's a great question. Obviously, you have to
lean on the offense at this point. Dak Prescott two
years ago played at a near MVP level. You still
have Steedee Lamb ultra productive. You bring in George Pickens,
we'll see what the offensive line looks like in the
run game. There are questions on that side of the ball.
You know, defensively though, losing your top pass rusher, your
(21:36):
top wild card, your your your ultimate playmaker, the one
guy that offensive coordinators started their game plans to try
to short circuit. He's gone. Now, Yes, that secondary has
made a lot of plays over the years, but a
lot of it came from the pressure up front. So
you know, Donovan ezri Aku's got to step up as
a rookie, and you got to see Sam Williams and
these other rushers take that void and find a way.
(21:59):
I mean, they're gonna they're gonna have their hands full
the first month of the season, right, I mean, you're
facing Parsons in week You've got the Eagles in Week one.
A lot of sort of soul searching during that first
month of the year, and Brian Schottenheimer's maiden voyage a
head coach, and again a lot to deal with right there.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Yeah, all right, let's get through your teams, starting at
twenty five through thirty two. I think you could story
the Raiders being a much better football team than where
you have them. The Tennessee Titans at twenty six. I'm
almost surprised and not a lot of depth on this
team that you had him at twenty six. The g
Men feel good about them at twenty seven, The Colts
at Daniel Jones this show at twenty nine, Carolina, we
saw a push with Bryce Young late. The Jets at thirty,
(22:38):
The Cleveland Browns at thirty one, the most talked about
quarterback room in the NFL this offseason, And speaking of
quarterback rooms, the Saints they named their starter. It's not
Tyler Schuck, It's Spencer Ratler at thirty two, so they
said dead last. The Giants at twenty seven. I think
you could say the product is going to be better
this season. I don't know if the wins will be
there based off of the schedule alone. You buy that.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
I think the schedule is right now the biggest thing
hold me back, and I'm not ready to say that
the Giants are playoff contenders. You can see where I
ranked them. It's obviously a reflection of a lot of
things right the last couple of years. You know, the
pressure that Brian Dabele and Joe Shane are facing right now.
But the arrival of this rookie class with Abdul Carter
and Jackson Dart, I think has changed the you know,
the trajectory if you will, or at least the immediate outcome.
(23:23):
I think both can be big factors right away. You
know you're gonna see other rookies contribute as well. They've
got a lot of slew of young, exciting playmakers on
both sides of the ball. If that defense can can
take another natural step up and all those those receivers
are back and they can make steps as well, they
might have something exciting. Like I don't know that they're
going to be this year's commanders or anything like that,
(23:45):
but like you said, the schedule is so tough, but
I think there are some wins in there. I think
they're going to surprise some people. It may not happen immediately,
but it's coming all right.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
See, you had Saints did last I'm not saying you're
wrong here, but why did you slot them at thirty two?
Speaker 3 (23:59):
They clearly wanted Tyler Schuck to win that job right away.
He didn't do it, Spencer, Tyler didn't win a game
as a starter last year. Not saying he can't. He's
got talent, but I think they're going to be limited
at that position. I think it's you know, both guys
are going to have to feel this pressure of needing
to prove themselves to the new head coach, Kellen Moore,
and neither one of them may end up being their
long term starter. So the shortcomings of that position, the
(24:23):
questions elsewhere on the roster, all the financial mismanagement for years,
it's really hurt their talent.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Erica the Best Man guest. News is, we have football
this week and we get to do this show next week.
Thanks for watching Power Ranking.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
NFL Power Rankings is a production of the NFL in
partnership with iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the
iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
NFL Power Rankings is a production of the NFL in
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Speaker 2 (00:09):
It is a brand new season, Week number one, it's
NFL Power Ranking. I's like, am Eric at home with you. Eric,
I'm walking into the studio. I heard a rumor, Please
tell me if this is true or not, that you
had no summer vacation. You spent the entire time obsessing
over this set of rankings.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Well yeah, early on I was ranking like breakfast cereals
and my kids Pokemon cards and stuff, and I got
so bored with it I had to dive into football,
and it's been a grind. I'm glad we got to
this point on SCATHE and we're ready to go. Man.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Look, I'm so excited to be with you this entire season.
I had a blast with you last season. There was
a lot of debate. I don't know how much debate
we will have in this episode, but we should reveal
some of your top teams and get to it. And
not a surprise here, I'm in the Philadelphia Eagles sitting
in that top spot. We got the Baltimore Ravens, who
we'll talk about, the Bills right behind them at three.
Kansas City. Here we go where she writes that six
(01:00):
games suspension maybe plays a factor in that fourth ranking.
Detroit missing all all of their coordinators, both on the
offensive defensive side, were both head coaches, so they are
in that fifth spot. A little bit of news this
offseason around the Green Bay Packers, who sits six? We
have the Tampa Bay Buccaneers seven, and the Washington Commanders
at number eight. All Right, super Bowl let down? Coming
(01:22):
off of winning the title last year? How does Philadelphia
make sure and ensure they're back in the biggest game
of the year.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Yeah, I mean, I don't just default put the Super
Bowl winner in this spot. I think they're there for
a good reason. This roster is in terrific shape thanks
to Howie Roseman and the scouting staff. They're well coached.
I mean Nick Sirianni had to go through it a
little bit before it got to the mountaintop, but by
the end of last year they were clearly the best
team in football. Can they carry that over? Though? I
think that is a fair question, especially when you consider Look,
(01:51):
they're arguably worse on the offensive line, they lose Becton,
arguably worse on the defensive line. Williams and Josh Sweat
and maybe in the secondary too. So it's possible that
they are not quite as full of roster as what
they had at the end of last year. So still
some potential cracks that other teams could exploit.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Still very talented and wouldn't be a surprise to anyone
if they were playing in the Super Bowl this upcoming season.
And yet I look at some of the other premier
teams in the NFL. In fact, some of the teams
that I just name check that you have towards the
top of this rankings, the Baltimore Ravens sitting at number two. Eric,
they were a team that I got to see in
training camp. I don't legitimately think they have a weakness
(02:30):
on this roster. In my mind, they might be the
best team in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
You know, they're right there. You know you could make it,
certainly a strong case, even with last year's playoff disappointment
the loss of the Bills, that they are pound for
pound as good as the Eagles or any other team
in the NFL. It starts with Lamar Jackson, but obviously
John Harbaugh has been there a long time. His record
is terrific, He's had way more winning seasons than losing ones,
and you know, the combination of Derrick Henry maybe some
(02:55):
better receivers as well, they continue to kind of fortify
that offensive line, and by the end of last year,
I thought that defense had really kind of gotten through
some of its issues. So look, you know they used
now September and October to prepare themselves for the long haul.
So I don't think we should panic if they lose
Week one to the Bills or have some early losses
to it to contenders. They'll be there in January, and
(03:17):
I suspect they're going to be a very, very tough
out no matter how long they go.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
You concerned it all about Derek Henry and just the
amount of tread on those tires.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
I mean, we're talking about a guy who's turning thirty
two in January. You know, running backs these days don't
typically last as long as that. I mean coming off
a season counting playoffs where he had almost four hundred touches.
So you know, they kept four backs and in years
past we've seen them keep three. But there's a reason
why they have Keaton Mitchell and Justice Hill and rasheen
A Lei who had a great preseason two was a
(03:46):
draft pick of THEIRS a couple of years ago. So
you know they have ways where you can kind of
save Derek for those key drives, fourth quarter situations like
that red zone, and still use those other four or
other three guys you have on the roster.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
You know, by the end of the season, Malchi Stark's
a kid that they drafted Eric I. I have a
feeling we're going to be talking about him on this
show as the season unfolds. My god, he looked terrific
on the football field, at least of that practice that
I was able to go and watch. At number three
of the Bills. We had a conversation a year ago
at this time concerned about some of the weapons around
Josh Allen he became league MVP. Is that at all
(04:22):
a concern this season?
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Yeah, I mean, I think it's the same questions we
had last year, right defense and weapons. And if you
assume that Khalil Shakir getting missed a lot of the
preseason in training camp, but if he could take a
step forward, that's huge. James Cook is a weapon in
the passing game as well as the run game. I
was out there at the Bills joint practice with the
Chicago Bears, and I thought Keon Coleman looked tremendous. He
(04:45):
had a really big day that year, and all the
rookie year disappointments, you know, and ups and downs that
he went through. I wouldn't be shocked if there's a
sophomore breakout there. Josh Palmer's there, Dalton Pincaid still has
a chance to prove himself. So they're pretty diverse. They
may not have that one true go to guy. Maybe
it's shakier, maybe it maybe they spread the ball round,
(05:06):
but you know, if he can win MVP with arguably
a lesser group last year, I think they're They're in
okay shape in the big picture.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
You know, take holistically between the second team and the
third team Ravens and Bills. Do you look at both
of these squads and say, hey, it feels like Super
Bowl or bust. It is so hard to consistently have
a good roster year in and you're out in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Yeah. I mean, on the one hand, you say to yourself, look,
Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are in the primes of
their career. Let's not panic here. But there always is
that sense when you're ending up in the top five
of every preseason you know, a rankings, power rankings, and
you're constantly making these runs in the playoffs, but coming
up just short, as those two teams have recently, you're
(05:45):
gonna be mentioned as a super Bowl or bust kind
of team. And I think that's the attitude in the
locker room. But only one of these teams potentially can
win it, and the next year we're gonna be talking
about both of them as contenders again, I suspect. So, yes,
there is that internal pressure. There's certainly external pressure, but
I don't think you can say the windows are closed
for either one of these teams. It's just another year
(06:07):
in that that that that picture where they can win
a wing or they could be disappointed.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Yeah, I'm sure you're watching hard knocks like I am
and the Bills. Just one comment that you got on
this defense and obviously some losses in terms of personnel
from from last year's team, still feel like the unit
collectively is still pretty good.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
I do too. You know, turnovers, they've got to create
more sacks, big plays, things like that. Worried about cornerback though,
I mean I look at Tredavias White return. You know,
he and Christian Benver are supposed to be the starters
right now with with Maxwell Harrison out, but both guys
have missed the good amount of practice. So you're going
into a pretty big game in week one. I know
everything I just said about the Ravens there, but still,
(06:45):
you know, those are the games that end up being
crucial tie breakers when it comes down to playoff times.
So I know, you know it's in high Mark Stadium,
final year there, They're gonna send it off with a bang,
or so they hope. And if that defense isn't healthy enough,
you know they're missing some d lineman two with suspensions
and whatnot. You know that that first game could be
a real chore.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
You know, I I know, I joked at the start
of the show that Eric was working on his rankings
the entire summer. There is some truth to that. But
I got to imagine when you have a mega deal,
there's a team that possibly moved up just a little
bit just because of that Michael Parsons deal. Time for
Power Moves. It is presented by Energizer. Where'd you have
Green Bay before the Micah trade? Because right now you
(07:26):
have them six.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
I think I had them eighth, and I wanted to
keep the Bucks seven. I know that's higher than some
people have them, but I kind of believe in the
Bucks this year. But I felt like that move kind
of put him over the top. Had I been a
power ranker back in twenty eighteen, I probably would have
done a similar thing with the Chicago Bears. But this
Packers team. I remember going on radio in Wisconsin this summer.
They asked me about the roster and they said, what
(07:48):
do you think? And I said, well, it's pretty good.
I mean there's really no major questions, kind of like
what you're saying with the Ravens. But the difference is
the Ravens have superstar players. I don't know that you
could have said that about the Packers prior to this trade.
But Micah Parsons is a singular defender, and boy, if
you want just a teaser, I think of what could
be on the table this season assuming his back is okay.
(08:11):
Go look at Jeff Hafley, their defensive coordinator, what he
did with Chase Young. Remember how excited we got about
Chase Young as a college player in twenty nineteen, standing
up as a middle linebacker, edge rusher, kicking inside as
an interior rusher. You're going to see all kinds of
creative stuff from Halflee when it comes to Parsons, But
he's getting epidurals for week one. That back may not
(08:32):
hold up. That may be another factor to the trade
that some people didn't kind of consider at the time
that Dallas made it.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
You know, last offseason, Jordan Love gets a huge deal,
two hundred million dollar contract, gets banged up early, but
you saw this progression, You saw him play better as
the season went on. I hate to ask if there's
like more pressure. I don't even want to frame it
that way. Every single starter in the NFL feels that.
But knowing that there's a leap defender, at least singular
with with Michael Parsons on this roster, that conversation is shifted.
(08:59):
I almost feel like there's probably more attention on Jordan
Love having to ball out and maybe even thrust himself
into that MVP conversation.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Oh, no doubt about it. Look, I mean, he's already
been paid, right. It's the same situation that Trevor Lawrence
finds himself in in Jacksonville. Obviously, with less pressure because
they're not quite a super Bowl contender yet, but a
quarterback who's been paid, but there's still lingering doubts about them,
right Kyler Murray in Arizona. Stuff like that where you
say they could be great, but we don't know that yet.
And when you add a superstar to the other side
(09:27):
of the ball, that defense could elevate itself in one way,
that may reduce some pressure on Love. Right, they may
have more defensive scores, more turnovers, more possessions for the offense.
But on the other side, you know, you know now
that you are in that Super Bowl inner circle if
you will, you have that superstar and you have a
pretty great roster even with a loaded NFC North. I
think you have to consider the Packers among that top
(09:50):
cadre of top contenders.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Eric. I read your article once again. It's on NFL
dot com where you give analysis on all thirty two
teams in order of this rankings, and I can't help
but think when I shift our attention to the Washington
Commanders at number eight RLS in what you said about
the Houston Texans from a couple of seasons ago, it
went from Darlings a team that become almost a sleeper
to make a significant run to now just being a
(10:14):
really good team in the AFC. A lot of that
has to do with c J Stroud. I'd say the
same exact case could be made for Jaden Daniels. How
does he avoid And I don't want to say a
sophomore slump because that's not what CJ went through. Sure,
I think that's probably overstating it. Clearly it wasn't as
good as is his rookie campaign. But what is it
about what you see from Jayden Daniels that how you
(10:35):
thinking like, hey, this team legitimately can stay towards the
top of the NFC.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
Yeah, I did drop them this week, and preemptively, I
guess you'd say, or whatever, And some people may take
that as a sign that I'm suddenly down on the Commanders.
Not the case, right, I want you guys over by
by ranking you hot. They're the Commanders higher than any
other person did I think last year preseason, so I
felt like I got a little credit from Commanders fans.
I hope I don't lose it now, but I just
(10:59):
think it's going to be a tougher climb. Everybody knows
their contenders right. Progress for quarterbacks is not Linn. We've
seen quarterbacks like Stroud, very talented players in year two
face some obstacles that they weren't seeing in year one.
All of a sudden, now you have way more tape
to evaluate and a whole summer to do it. While
while I was doing power rankings, the coaches were breaking
down jayde danniel State, finding ways to slow him down.
(11:22):
Arguably they might be better offensively. I just don't know
if they're going to take that big step defensively that
everybody is kind of hoping and wishing they can. We'll
see maybe I'm wrong. If they are, I'll reflect it
in the rankings, no doubt about it. But you know,
I think it's going to be a tougher division. I
think the Giants are going to be a tough route.
We'll see about Dallas, but certainly Philly as well. So,
(11:42):
you know, just getting to thirteen and four in a
couple of playoff wins is an amazing achievement. Can they
do it two years in a row? Hard to do
in this league.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Well, they open up against the g Men, and we'll
talk about the Giants a little bit later in the show.
Can't you make the case at least I would between
Deebo and Tunsel this roster, And I know it's just
two guys, but I feel like the roster is actually
better this year than it was last season.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
It might be right, Josh Connery. They're raving about the
rookie tackle a Jacory Krossky Merritt right, he emerged and
allowed them to trade Brian Robinson, who wasn't deemed a
perfect fit. So when they're making those kinds of moves,
I think it's a reflection that there were some voids
last year that they were able to kind of mask
and cover up. This year, they're able to fill them
with some better talents and make these aggressive trades. They
(12:26):
wouldn't have done that if they didn't think they had
a shot at the Super Bowl. So, you know, I
trust Adam Peterson's evaluation Dan Quinn the coaching job he
did last year. If those two guys are as on
point this year as they were last year, they should
be right in the thick of things.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Glad you named checked to Corey and Krosky Merritt. I
actually was fortunate enough to be able to call the
East West Shrine Bowl he played in that game hard,
it was around him for a couple of days or so.
Not hugely surprised that they feel confident in his abilities
in that backfield. We're just scratching the surface here, Eric,
we're going through your rest of your rankings nine through sixteen.
I still can't believe, based off of doing the show
(13:00):
with you last season, we haven't mentioned his name. Aaron
Rodgerson always got a new team. Where does he sit
with his Steelers squad? That's covered up next here on
Power Rankings presented by Energizer. Back here on Power Rankings,
(13:20):
Mike Haman Eric at home with you. As you look
at Eric's teams nine through sixteen. The Denver Broncos checking
in at number nine, potential will be the best defense
in the league this year. At ten, it's the Cincinnati Bengals,
who will discuss in a moment. Eleven the LA Rams.
The health of Matthew Stafford is going to be something
we don't stop talking about this season. At twelve, it's
the Vikings with the new quarterback and JJ McCartney. At thirteen,
(13:42):
it's the Texans fourteen, the Chargers, the Niners at fifteen
and the Pittsburgh Steelers with Aaron Rodgers sitting at number sixteen.
But let's circle in on Cincinnati Joe Burrows team. We
saw this late season push for him. The guy should
have been well, I guess he was technically in that
MVP conversation, But when you have a record, you're on
the outside looking into the postseason. Hard to win that award.
(14:02):
Plus the way that Josh and Lamar played, that was
going to be an uphill battle. But give me your
take on why you have Cincinnati this high, because I
feel like, based off what we saw last season.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
This is bold. Well, you make a great point in
that you know Trey Hendrickson played a full season, Joe
Burrow had virtually a career year, was incredible by any
other standards, and they were a nine to eight football team.
They had so many issues defensively, penalties, lack of discipline.
Kind of got back in the race nominally at one point,
but never were able to sustain it and stop people
(14:33):
on the other side of the ball. But I think
getting Hendrickson signed at least for this year, you know,
like it's a one year deal, they're probably going to
part ways next season. But if you view this through
the lens Of. They kept their big three on offense
and Hendrickson. Maybe new defensive coordinator Al Golden can find
some solutions on that side of the ball. You know,
look at at what happened with the Chargers last year,
(14:53):
pretty low ranked defense. In twenty twenty three, Jim Harbaugh
new staff comes in, they clean things up. They're ranked
in the top five in several categories. I'm not saying
they're going to make that big a jump, but I
do think there's a chance they get better on that
side of the ball. Yeah, the division is tough, and
maybe even tougher than last year, but I still think
that that prolific offense is going to give a lot
of people trouble on some point.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Last two seasons one in three to start the year.
I feel like this staff has recognized that we saw
Joe Burrow, we saw Jamar Chase early in the preseason
get some runs, so I feel like that's something we
hadn't seen in previous years. Joe obviously has had some
health issues, which was a part of that, but the
fact that he was playing early in the preseason to
me says no, no, no, not a slow start this
upcoming season. Time for future champions. It's presented by Fan
(15:38):
Duel and the NFC West. There's a fan duel things.
In terms of who is the favorite is San Francisco
forty nine ers according to them, followed by the Rams,
the Cardinals, and then Seattle plus five point fifty there,
So the Niners are the favorite. God, Eric, I can
story this for it. Just be healthy. They're the walking
wounded out there a year ago. Is it as simple
(15:58):
as they stay healthy? This division's theirs.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
I think you have to preface it by saying, look,
pound for pound, and this may not be as strong
a roster top to bottom as it was a year ago,
at least heading into the season. Right, all those injuries
certainly decimated their chances of climbing back in the race.
You know they won that game in Week ten last year.
I thought, Okay, here they come, and then everything just
fell apart. So your point hold's true. Right, if they
avoid injuries, they should be in great shape. The schedule
(16:23):
is very favorable. They still have Brock Purty, Kyle Shanahan
and a host of weapons. But I do worry about
that receiver room. You saw Deebo Samuel there a second ago.
He's gone, Juwan Jennings. Is he committed to the team?
Is he involved? Is he going to be a big
player this year? Perhaps we'll see, you know, George Kittle
will be a standby, and they're hoping that Ricky Piersoll
(16:44):
is going to be that big thread on the outside
as well. But I think they'll eventually find a lot
of solutions, especially going up against the schedule that reanks
is frankly one of the easiest in the NFL this season,
even if there are no true easy games in this league.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Yeah, for what it's worth. And I know Arizona wasn't
in this group because we went teams from nine through sixteen,
so they'll be in the next group. For what it's worth.
I read your once get on NFL dot com. You're
higher on Arizona than most, aren't. I think you could
store Seattle being right in the thick of things as well.
The Steelers at number sixteen. All right, Aaron Rodgers, Man,
I feel like we talked about this dude all the
time last year with the Jets, last couple of seasons.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
With the Jets.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Is this experiment going to be successful this year?
Speaker 3 (17:23):
I don't know, you could tell. I'm hedging here, right,
I'm putting smack dab in the middle of the rankings there.
And obviously you look at Mike Tomlins, you know, a
sterling record of consistency. I know, obviously playoff results have
not been what you'd expect recently in the last you know,
really seven eight years. But they're a good football team.
They have what could be an excellent defense. There are
some very encouraging parts there on offense. But in order
(17:46):
to get this offense where it needs to be, I
think Aaron has to give a little bit, right. I
think he has to understand that that run game with
Warren and Johnson is still going to be a big
part of what they do. Aaron's results the first certainly
in the first half of last year, but even in
parts of the second half of the season, you know,
lacking a lot of ways. He is not the quarterback
he was four years ago, five years ago when he
(18:08):
was an MVP candidate. So there's got to be an
understanding I think of what his limitations are, what the
strengths of the Steelers are, and find that perfect marriage
to put it together offensively. So you talked about slow
starts with the Bengals, I almost wonder if that's not
an issue for the Steelers too, where they're still maybe
sorting their offensive identity out as we come to the
beginning of October. Who knows. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe he
(18:30):
finds his footing right away, But I still think with Aaron,
he wants things his way and other people may see
it differently.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Well, I think most teams will want to avoid to
slow start a little extra motivation for Aaron Rodgers the
fact that they get the Jets in week number one.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Oh yeah, right, we're at.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
The midway point here. First sixteen teams. We've told you
where they sit. The rest of the sixteen two squads
in my mind, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, no more, Michael,
where do they sit? The answer to that, Oh, by
the way, who's in that last spot, the not so
coveted last position on Eric's rankings. The answers coming up
next on Power Rings along with Eric at home, Mike
(19:14):
Iam with you. Welcome back to Power Rankings. It's team
seventeen through twenty four. For what it's worth, Eric is high.
He's bullish on the Arizona Cardiners, who check in at seventeen,
the Bears, who will talk about in a moment at eighteen, Seattle,
Eric's looking for a team identity. They check in at nineteen.
I think there's some upside around the Atlanta Falcons at twenty,
the Dallas Cowboys sitting at twenty one. I think the
(19:36):
arrow's pointing up for the Patriots at twenty two. How
about that combination Brian Thomas Junior not to mention Travis
Hunter for the Jags at twenty three and can do
a stay upright for the Fins at twenty four. All right,
let's check in on eighteen the Chicago Bears. Ben Johnson
takes over. We saw what he was able to do
with the Lions and more specifically Jared Goff. Is he
the quarterback whisperer for a former number one overall pick
(19:59):
in Caleb Williams.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
Yeah. I mean three years ago, not many people knew
who Ben Johnson was. Now he comes in as the savior.
I mean, obviously we put a lot of pressure on
him based on what he's done the last two and
a half years with a brilliant offense that he and
Dan Campbell really put together in their own like, in
their own image and their own belief system and translating
that and bringing it over to a quarterback like Caleb
(20:21):
Williams who's played in a structure that he's sort of
familiar with. It's gonna cause some lumps. I think they're
gonna be some tough times. Look, they play a brutal schedule,
but I think already you can see the fountain of
creativity that comes out of this team. With different playmakers,
different formations, different concepts. It's gonna be way more advanced
(20:42):
and I think way more productive than last year. But again,
I still see some chances there for the head coach
and the quarterback to be at odds. I think they're
going to have to grow together on this thing. First
year head coach, second year starting quarterback. It's not going
to be an easy ride. But I think eventually they'll
They'll find Peydrt and I think they'll be a very
successful duo. But this season, with these teams in this
(21:04):
nfcorth Boy, I don't know, it's asking a lot.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
Some growing pains. Run the Dallas Cowboys without Micah because
now they move on a double dip on this squad.
What is life without Parsons going to look?
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Like?
Speaker 3 (21:16):
Yeah, it's it's a great question. Obviously, you have to
lean on the offense at this point. Dak Prescott two
years ago played at a near MVP level. You still
have Steedee Lamb ultra productive. You bring in George Pickens,
we'll see what the offensive line looks like in the
run game. There are questions on that side of the ball.
You know, defensively though, losing your top pass rusher, your
(21:36):
top wild card, your your your ultimate playmaker, the one
guy that offensive coordinators started their game plans to try
to short circuit. He's gone. Now, Yes, that secondary has
made a lot of plays over the years, but a
lot of it came from the pressure up front. So
you know, Donovan ezri Aku's got to step up as
a rookie, and you got to see Sam Williams and
these other rushers take that void and find a way.
(21:59):
I mean, they're gonna they're gonna have their hands full
the first month of the season, right, I mean, you're
facing Parsons in week You've got the Eagles in Week one.
A lot of sort of soul searching during that first
month of the year, and Brian Schottenheimer's maiden voyage a
head coach, and again a lot to deal with right there.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Yeah, all right, let's get through your teams, starting at
twenty five through thirty two. I think you could story
the Raiders being a much better football team than where
you have them. The Tennessee Titans at twenty six. I'm
almost surprised and not a lot of depth on this
team that you had him at twenty six. The g
Men feel good about them at twenty seven, The Colts
at Daniel Jones this show at twenty nine, Carolina, we
saw a push with Bryce Young late. The Jets at thirty,
(22:38):
The Cleveland Browns at thirty one, the most talked about
quarterback room in the NFL this offseason, And speaking of
quarterback rooms, the Saints they named their starter. It's not
Tyler Schuck, It's Spencer Ratler at thirty two, so they
said dead last. The Giants at twenty seven. I think
you could say the product is going to be better
this season. I don't know if the wins will be
there based off of the schedule alone. You buy that.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
I think the schedule is right now the biggest thing
hold me back, and I'm not ready to say that
the Giants are playoff contenders. You can see where I
ranked them. It's obviously a reflection of a lot of
things right the last couple of years. You know, the
pressure that Brian Dabele and Joe Shane are facing right now.
But the arrival of this rookie class with Abdul Carter
and Jackson Dart, I think has changed the you know,
the trajectory if you will, or at least the immediate outcome.
(23:23):
I think both can be big factors right away. You
know you're gonna see other rookies contribute as well. They've
got a lot of slew of young, exciting playmakers on
both sides of the ball. If that defense can can
take another natural step up and all those those receivers
are back and they can make steps as well, they
might have something exciting. Like I don't know that they're
going to be this year's commanders or anything like that,
(23:45):
but like you said, the schedule is so tough, but
I think there are some wins in there. I think
they're going to surprise some people. It may not happen immediately,
but it's coming all right.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
See, you had Saints did last I'm not saying you're
wrong here, but why did you slot them at thirty two?
Speaker 3 (23:59):
They clearly wanted Tyler Schuck to win that job right away.
He didn't do it, Spencer, Tyler didn't win a game
as a starter last year. Not saying he can't. He's
got talent, but I think they're going to be limited
at that position. I think it's you know, both guys
are going to have to feel this pressure of needing
to prove themselves to the new head coach, Kellen Moore,
and neither one of them may end up being their
long term starter. So the shortcomings of that position, the
(24:23):
questions elsewhere on the roster, all the financial mismanagement for years,
it's really hurt their talent.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Erica the Best Man guest. News is, we have football
this week and we get to do this show next week.
Thanks for watching Power Ranking.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
NFL Power Rankings is a production of the NFL in
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